Failure prediction method of optical transceiver and related optical transceiver and fiber-optic communication system

Abstract

When performing failure prediction on an optical transceiver, the output optical power and an operational current of a transmission optical sub-assembly in the optical transceiver are recorded during the operation of the optical transceiver. A first ratio is acquired by dividing the average slope of the operational current recorded at a current time period by the average slope of the operational current recorded at an earlier time period. A second ratio is acquired by dividing the absolute average value of the slope of the output optical power recorded at the earlier time period by the absolute average value of the slope of the output optical power recorded at the current time period. When it is determined that the product of the first ratio and the second ratio is greater than a threshold value, a failure notification including life prediction information is provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of performing failure prediction on an optical transceiver, comprising:
 recording an output optical power and an operational current associated with a transmission optical sub-assembly (TOSA) in the optical transceiver during an operational period of the optical transceiver; 
 acquiring a first average slope of the operational current and a second average slope of the output optical power which are recorded during a first time period; 
 acquiring a third average slope of the operational current and a fourth average slope of the output optical power which are recorded during a second time period; 
 calculating a first ratio by dividing the third average slope by the first average slope; 
 calculating a second ratio by dividing an absolute value of the second average slope by an absolute value of the fourth average slope; and 
 sending a failure advance notice when determining that a product of the first ratio and the second ratio is larger than a threshold value, wherein the first time period and the second time period correspond to a same environmental temperature, and the first time period is a reference time period which occurs earlier than the second time period. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recording an operational temperature of a lighting device during the operational period of the optical transceiver; 
 determining a maximum current limit according to a type of the lighting device and the operational temperature; 
 providing a life prediction information according to a value of the operational current during the second time period, the third average slope and the maximum current limit when determining that the product of the first ratio and the second ratio is larger than the threshold value; and 
 sending the failure advance notice which includes the life prediction information. 
 
     
     
       3. An optical transceiver, comprising:
 a transmission optical sub-assembly (TOSA) comprising a lighting device and configured to convert a first electrical signal into a first optical signal; 
 a notification alert unit configured to send a failure advance notice; and 
 an intelligent monitoring module, comprising:
 a monitor circuit configured to record an output optical power and an operational temperature of the lighting device during the operational period of the optical transceiver; and 
 a computation control unit configured to:
 acquire a first average slope of the operational current and a second average slope of the output optical power which are recorded during a first time period; 
 acquire a third average slope of the operational current and a fourth average slope of the output optical power which are recorded during a second time period; 
 calculate a first ratio by dividing the third average slope by the first average slope; 
 calculate a second ratio by dividing an absolute value of the second average slope by an absolute value of the fourth average slope; and 
 instruct the notification alert unit to send the failure advance notice when determining that a product of the first ratio and the second ratio is larger than a threshold value, wherein the first time period and the second time period correspond to a same environmental temperature, and the first time period is a reference time period which occurs earlier than the second time period. 
 
 
 
     
     
       4. The optical transceiver of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the monitor circuit is further configured to record an operational temperature of the lighting device during the operational period of the optical transceiver; and 
 the computation control unit is further configured to:
 determine a maximum current limit according to a type of the lighting device and the operational temperature; 
 provide a life prediction information according to a value of the operational current during the second time period, the third average slope and the maximum current limit when determining that the product of the first ratio and the second ratio is larger than the threshold value; and 
 instruct the notification alert unit to send the failure advance notice which includes the life prediction information. 
 
 
     
     
       5. A fiber-optical communication system, comprising:
 a first optical transceiver, comprising:
 a first transmission optical sub-assembly (TOSA) comprising a first lighting device and configured to convert a first electrical signal into a first optical signal; 
 a first receiver optical sub-assembly (ROSA) comprising a first photo detector and configured to convert a second optical signal into a second electrical signal; 
 a first notification alert unit configured to send a first failure advance notice; and 
 a first intelligent monitoring module, comprising:
 a first monitor circuit configured to record a first output optical power and a first operational current of the first lighting device during the operational period of the first optical transceiver; and 
 a first computation control unit configured to:
 acquire a first average slope of the first operational current and a second average slope of the first output optical power which are recorded during a first time period; 
 acquire a third average slope of the first operational current and a fourth average slope of the first output optical power which are recorded during a second time period; 
 calculate a first ratio by dividing the third average slope by the first average slope; 
 calculate a second ratio by dividing an absolute value of the second average slope by an absolute value of the fourth average slope; and 
 instruct the first notification alert unit to send the first failure advance notice when determining that a product of the first ratio and the second ratio is larger than a first threshold value, wherein the first time period and the second time period correspond to a same environmental temperature, and the first time period is a first reference time period which occurs earlier than the second time period; 
 
 
 
 a second optical transceiver, comprising:
 a second TOSA comprising a second lighting device and configured to convert a third electrical signal into the second optical signal; 
 a second ROSA comprising a second photo detector and configured to convert the first optical signal into a fourth electrical signal; 
 a second notification alert unit configured to send a second failure advance notice; and 
 a second intelligent monitoring module, comprising:
 a second monitor circuit configured to record a second output optical power and a second operational current of the second lighting device during the operational period of the second optical transceiver; and 
 a second computation control unit configured to:
 acquire a fifth average slope of the second operational current and a sixth average slope of the second output optical power which are recorded during a third time period; 
 acquire a seventh average slope of the second operational current and an eighth average slope of the second output optical power which are recorded during a fourth time period; 
 calculate a third ratio by dividing the seventh average slope by the fifth average slope; 
 calculate a fourth ratio by dividing an absolute value of the sixth average slope by an absolute value of the eighth average slope; and 
 instruct the second notification alert unit to send the second failure advance notice when determining that a product of the third ratio and the fourth ratio is larger than a second threshold value, wherein the third time period and the fourth time period correspond to the same environmental temperature, and the third time period is a second reference time period which occurs earlier than the fourth time period; 
 
 
 
 a first optical fiber coupled between the first TOSA and the second ROSA for transmitting the first optical signal; and 
 a second optical fiber coupled between the second TOSA and the first ROSA for transmitting the second optical signal. 
 
     
     
       6. The fiber-optical communication system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first monitor circuit is further configured to record a first operational temperature of the first lighting device during the operational period of the first optical transceiver; and 
 the first computation control unit is further configured to:
 determine a first maximum current limit according to a type of the first lighting device and the first operational temperature; 
 provide a first life prediction information according to a value of the first operational current during the second time period, the third average slope and the first maximum current limit when determining that the product of the first ratio and the second ratio is larger than the first threshold value; and 
 instruct the first notification alert unit to send the first failure advance notice which includes the first life prediction information; 
 
 the second monitor circuit is further configured to record a second operational temperature of the second lighting device during the operational period of the second optical transceiver; and 
 the second computation control unit is further configured to:
 determine a second maximum current limit according to a type of the first lighting device and the second operational temperature; 
 provide a second life prediction information according to a value of the second operational current during the fourth time period, the seventh average slope and the second maximum current limit when determining that the product of the third ratio and the fourth ratio is larger than the second threshold value; and 
 instruct the second notification alert unit to send the second failure advance notice which includes the second life prediction information.